


High School Memories

by chibifanwriter



Category: High School Musical (2006 2007 2008)
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-28
Updated: 2011-03-28
Packaged: 2017-10-19 04:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/196884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibifanwriter/pseuds/chibifanwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason's got a lot of memories from high school. Basketball, musicals and the over turning of the social pyramid, thanks to Gabriella and Troy. </p><p>And Kelsi. Through it all, Kelsi winds her way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	High School Memories

He wasn’t sure how it had happened; it had been impulse that had had him approaching her, it had been impulse that had sent the ball swishing through the net and it had been impulse that had him hugging her when she’d turned to him in pure delight.

It had been impulse that had led to a kiss at the after-party that had led to him asking her out that had led to them.

He’d never really noticed her before. Okay. That was a lie. He had noticed her before. It was kind of hard not to; she was in his home room, in drama, in Chemistry (though she spent most of that period sneaking off to the music room) and in Math (he still wasn’t sure how he’d managed to get in AP Math).  
 

  


So, yeah, he’d noticed her before. But not, not like that. Just like, you know, noticed. Like, hey, you’re in my class, aren’t you? She’d been the quiet girl who sat in the front in home room and drama and in the back in Chemistry and Math.  
 

  


She’d been the short girl who’d been in the drama club. The girl with the perpetual hat, scribbling on various papers during Ms. Darbus’s long long long speeches. The mousy girl who’d blushed when the same teacher had announced the name of the spring musical (or musicale as Ms Darbus had called it).  
 

  


She’d been… ‘small person’.  
 

  


But then he’d seen the fire in her eyes and heard it in her voice when she’d told Troy that it’d been Sharpay (man, what did Zeke see in that girl?) and Ryan who’d been behind the auditions fiasco. And she’d stopped being just that girl to being that girl.  
 

  


So he’d started watching her. But not stalker like! Jeez, no way, he wasn’t creepy. Just, you know, normal watching.  
 

  


He’d noticed that when she smiled, it was almost too big for her face and that her eyes lit up. He noticed that her hair, almost always tucked under whatever hat she had on, was a warm honey brown and was maybe as soft and as silky as it looked. He noticed that even though she was petite, she had a great figure (hello, what were you thinking? guy here) that he’d loved to get his hands on.  
 

  


And he had – not that way! Jeez, talk about gutters.  
 

  


He’d seen her wandering about the chaos after the game, dressed in the school colors (almost. She’d been wearing gold pants instead of white but it’d still looked good on her), clutching the game ball (he’d seen Troy thrust it into her hands before running off with Gabriella), looking kind of lost.  
 

  


So it had been impulse that had him stop and turn, take her hat (releasing that gorgeous, soft, silky, honey blonde hair) and toss it away. It had been impulse that had him framing her with his body, taking her hands and leading her through the shot.  
But, of all the impulses he’s had, it’s the best one yet. Especially since it’s led to her being here, sitting beside him at the picnic Gabriella and Taylor (and who could believe Taylor and Chad were going out now?) had organized to celebrate the championship win, the scholastic decathlon (whatever that was) win and the success of the spring musicale.  
 

  


As he watches Zeke suck up to Sharpay (it had been Gabriella’s idea to invite her, and Ryan), Gabriella and Troy cuddle, Chad annoy Taylor (and laughing at her acerbic – see, he knows cool words – replies) and Martha and Ryan talk, he can’t help but think that this moment can’t be more perfect.  
 

  


Then he feels her small hand on his and he turns his hand and entangles their fingers and she lifts her face to smile at him, he corrects himself – this is perfect.  
 

  


***  
 

  


Well. That’s it. They’re over. Done. Kaput.  
 

  


What had happened?  
 

  


They’d been having it pretty good – so he’d thought. Okay, so they didn’t have that much in common, but they’d always managed to find something to talk about and laugh about and they’d had fun together and wasn’t that what was important?  
 

  


But apparently it wasn’t important enough.  
 

  


They hadn’t had a great summer, sure, but nobody had had a great summer, thanks to the Troy/Gabriella/Sharpay/Chad drama. And, yes, that was what he called it.  
 

  


But he guessed it was more than just that. In the end, they’d been fine at the end of summer. They’d frolicked (at least, that’s what Sharpay had called it) in the grass, screamed when the sprinklers had come on and run around, ruining the grass and not giving a damn because it’d been so fun.  
 

  


He’d ended up collapsed between her and Ryan, laughing their asses off. She’d turned, curling into him and he’d felt it was so right. Her head had been on his shoulder, his arm around her waist, her hair (he’d gotten rid of that damn hat) tickling his neck. He’d felt her smile against his chest, felt her arm settle against his belly and her cuddle closer (never mind that they were cold and wet and damp).

But after that one perfect gem of a night (okay, he had to stop reading his sister’s romance books), things had begun to go wrong.  
 

  


They’d begun drifting apart. She’d been working on the new winter musical that Ms Darbus had asked her to. He’d been concentrating on the new season and trying to deal with the pressure of people expecting them to win the championship again. They’d begun talking less, arguing more.  
 

  


He’d found it difficult to keep their dates, to keep his attention focused on their conversations, on her. It was tiring, training and studying and then being expected to go on dates afterwards and to pay attention and remember things. He was trying, because he liked Kelsi, because their relationship was better than any he’d ever had before (not that he’d had a lot before because, jeez, he wasn’t like that but, out of his limited experience, this was, by far, the best relationship ever), but it was hard and he was tired and just a little annoyed with it all.  
 

  


Then she’d approached him, a little over two weeks after the school year had started, and told him it was over.  
 

  


Okay, so she hadn’t used those exact words. She’d said something about needing to talk, about their problems, about basketball taking up all his time, and he’d started sniping because Coach had just been on his back about not concentrating enough and it had been building up into (another) argument when she’d abruptly said she couldn’t take it anymore.  
 

  


And then she’d suggesting breaking up and he hadn’t been able to say anything and she’d – obviously – taken it as a yes and walked away.  
And he doesn’t know why. Okay, yeah, he knows they were having problems. He’s not stupid or blind – at least, not much. But what they had was good – had had. He’d had a vague thought that after all this they’d sit down, maybe talk, work it out. Evidently, not.  
 

  


So that’s it. They’re done. Over.  
 

  


And maybe, one day, he’ll stop feeling like his heart had been ripped out of his chest.  
 

  


***  
 

  


He’s taking Martha to prom.  
 

  


It’s…kind of weird. Especially considering she and Kelsi are, like, best friends and he still kind of, sort of, maybe, has feelings for the petite pianist.  
 

  


But he’d started to notice the curvy dancer (and new cheerleader and that was just cool as well) and like, you know, notice. She was fun, funky and easy to talk to. Not to mention she could dance. Like, really, dance.  
 

  


He’d always liked a girl who could dance.  
 

  


And ever since she and Ryan had stopped their weird pseudo (another cool word!) are they? are they not? dating thing, he and Martha had been hanging out more and more (in between him trying to help Zeke gather enough courage to ask Sharpay to the prom and his basketball practices).  
 

  


When he looks back, he realizes that it was Martha and Zeke who’d helped pull him out of his funk after he and Kelsi had broken up (more like after she’d dumped him but he’d promised Martha not to put it like that anymore). Martha had cheered him up with her endless optimism and Zeke had given him something to focus on with his Sharpay dilemma.  
 

  


So he’d managed to start laughing again, start being goofy (and he let his friends think it was on purpose because, seriously, even the things he said and did struck him as being stupid sometimes), and doing everything that made him Jason.  
 

  


Man, even his game had improved again.  
 

  


And then, when helping Martha put up the posters for the prom, he’d asked her to it and she’d said yes and, man, at that moment, he couldn’t have been happier. Things were, like Zeke’d said when he’d (finally) gotten the guts to ask Sharpay to the prom, looking up.  
Until he‘d overheard someone (Taylor) talking about Ryan and Kelsi going to the prom together.  
 

  


He wasn’t sure what to think of it. Kelsi and Ryan? When had that happened? How had that happened? Why…why Ryan? Of all people, couldn’t she have chosen someone more different from him?  
 

  


He didn’t know what he felt. For the first time, he didn’t understand how he felt about something. He didn’t want to understand. He’s with Martha. It isn’t right!  
 

  


Except they’re at prom now and Kelsi looks amazing and everyone’s looking at her like they’ve never seen her before and Ryan looks proud and kind of smug and Martha – Martha’s looking at him and he realizes he’s caught.  
 

  


He opens his mouth, not quite sure what to say, but she stops him with a gentle smile. It’s okay, she says, I get it. Let’s dance and enjoy ourselves and just be friends okay?  
 

  


And though it isn’t fair for her – he knows it isn’t fair for her – he nods and leads her out onto the dance floor. And even though they’re just friends, he decides to make this the perfect night for her.  
 

  


He owes her that much.  
 

  


***  
 

  


Graduation.

Wow.  
 

  


He’s a graduate now. Who’da thunk?  
 

  


Not him, that’s for sure. During these past few weeks, in between the Senior Year musical, the Troy/Gabriella drama (seriously, couldn’t they at least graduate without the drama?), studying and re-sitting for his exams (he hadn’t been kidding when he’d informed Kelsi he’d be living in the library), he’d been so sure he’d be seeing his classmates graduate without him.  
 

  


Except he’s here, he’s a graduate, with Zeke and Troy and everyone. It’s sort of, actually, make that, completely unbelievable.  
He’s here, he’s a graduate and everyone’s going crazy. It’s insane and more fun than he’s had in a long time.  
 

  


He and Martha and Zeke are dancing on the school field, bopping to the actually hip music pumping from the speakers. Then Sharpay takes Zeke away and it’s just him and Martha but that was okay because they were still friends and still having fun.  
 

  


Then there’s chaos and he doesn’t remember much but he suddenly finds himself dancing with Kelsi.  
 

  


Yeah, like totally whoa-wait-a-minute-how-did-this-happen? moment. Except, it’s not, really. He and Kelsi have managed to rebuild a semblance of their former relationship. They’re not as close but they’re kind of friends and it’s okay with him.  
 

  


Really.  
 

  


She’s with Ryan and he’s happy being a single guy. And if, sometimes, he wishes he wasn’t, all he has to do is hook up with one of the many girls out there (who like him more for the singing and dancing than the basketball playing and how weird is that?) and he’s fine.  
 

  


And he says, “Julliard, huh? Well, congratulations.”  
 

  


And she flashes that huge, sweet smile that always makes his heart stop and says, “thanks! And congrats to you too. For, um, graduating!”  
He laughs, not the least bit insulted, because, hey, no one expected him to be graduating this year, least of all him. “Thanks. So Julliard…that’s in New York, right?”  
 

  


She nods at him, her eyes wide with excitement and delight. “Yep!”  
 

  


“You and Ryan.” He grins even though the thought of them together still kind of hurts (not that he thinks about them together. Not like that. Jeez. Gutters. Like, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend). “Both getting scholarships. That’s way cool.”  
 

  


“I know!” She laughs then, and he isn’t sure if it’s from excitement or because Ryan’s just taken her by the arms and spun her into his arms.  
Jason lets her go, because she isn’t his anymore and even though it still aches a little (and he’s not sure if it’ll ever stop but he’s not thinking about that), he’s okay with that.  
 

  


Then Zeke swings an arm over his shoulders (Sharpay’s hugging Zeke’s other arm and Jason doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to the fact and she and Zeke are together together now), Martha bounces up, Taylor and Chad twirl to a stop in front of them and Troy and Gabriella appear, hugging each other and he thinks, maybe he doesn’t have the girl, maybe he’s not going to some fancy university in another state (heck, maybe he won’t even graduate uni but he’s not thinking about that either), but he’s fine with that.  
 

  


He’s got his friends, he’s got his diploma, he’s got his future and he’s got his high school memories.  
 

  


That’s enough.  


  


***

  


 

  


He’s here. He can’t believe he’s made it but he’s here.  
 

  


UCLA.  
 

  


He’d laugh but he’s afraid of looking like a loon. He kind of feels like one. He’d been going to the community college, back in Albuquerque. He’d studied his ass off, found the brains he’d misplaced during high school and managed to get a scholarship (and it’s an academic one, not a sports one, like Chad’s) to U of C, L.A.

This is way beyond cool. Zeke’s here, studying at the something Blue School of Culinary Arts, so it is way way beyond cool.  
He’s studying mathematics and theoretical physics – which had stunned his parents when he’d told them. Hell, he’s still trying to figure out why he’s actually interested in the subjects. But, it didn’t really matter, in the end. He’s interested in them and he’s good at them and he’s happy with them and that’s what matters.  
 

  


He’s meeting up with Zeke, right now, for a dinner celebrating his transfer. He’d have preferred Zeke just cook him something – especially since the man’s studying to be a chef – but his best friend had insisted on taking him out to eat and it’d seemed kind of mean to make him cook when they’re supposed to be celebrating.  
 

  


So they’re eating out at this place Zeke swears has the best tapas – whatever those are – in town. Zeke’s going to pick him up because, hey, he’s new in town and even with directions, he’d probably muck it up. That much hasn’t changed.  
 

  


So when Zeke calls to say he’s downstairs – ‘cause you can’t get into the freshmen’s dorms without a student card which Zeke doesn’t have ‘cause he doesn’t go to UCLA – he grabs his keys and runs down.  
 

  


And Zeke’s waiting outside, beside a car, which Jason knows isn’t his because Zeke doesn’t have a car, and then Jason realizes it’s pink and, with a sinking feeling, he knows who it is.  
 

  


And sure enough, there’s Sharpay in the passenger seat, looking at herself with those little mirrors she carries everywhere. In the backseat, Jason notes, is a big pink bag with a dog’s head popping out of it.  
 

  


Jason remembers that dog. He remembers Zeke holding that dog and how embarrassed he’d felt for his friend. Zeke, of course, had not felt embarrassed at all, too love struck to do anything other than gaze at Sharpay with dopey eyes.  
 

  


If he hadn’t promised Zeke and if Zeke weren’t already here, Jason would turn around and walk back into his dorms.  
 

  


“Jason!” Zeke slings his arm around his best friend, pulls him in for a tight – but manly! – hug. “You’re here man.”  
 

  


“Yeah.” Jason feels his smile stretch into goofy proportions and doesn’t give a shit. He’s here!  
 

  


“You know Jason,” Sharpay says as they get into the car and Jason is surprised that there’s no trace of cattiness in her voice, “if someone,” here, she cants a look at Zeke, who just smiles foolishly, “had told me you were coming here, I could have saved you a flight.”  
 

  


“Ah.” Jason doesn’t know what to say but he is grateful Zeke hadn’t told Sharpay. As stupidly into her as Zeke is, he isn’t stupid enough to think everyone else is.  
 

  


“Come on honey,” Sharpay says, saving Jason from having to speak, and snaps the mirror shut. “Let’s go eat.”  
 

  


So they do and it’s not bad. Or uncomfortable or awkward or anything. U of A has apparently somehow mellowed Sharpay out – or it might have been Zeke’s constant care packages. Either way, they actually have fun. The restaurant allows pets – weird but, hey, this is California we’re talking about – so the dog sits in the purse on the seat between Sharpay and Jason.  
 

  


They talk, they joke, they actually manage to reminisce about some good memories. It’s past one before they manage to get back to the dorm. Jason’s a little bit tipsy but Sharpary and Zeke are stone cold sober.  
 

  


The dog yaps as he gets out and Jason decides to take that as a farewell. He waves bye as Zeke and Sharpay drive away – Sharpay actually letting Zeke put his arm around her – then stumbles into the dorm, barely remembering to get out his student card to get in.  
 

  


By the time he makes into his room – his roommate’s already snoring in his bed – he’s totally out of it. He drops on to bed fully clothed and almost instantly drops off.  
 

  


He has one last thought before he does – uni is going to rock.  
 

  


* * *  
 

  


He is not ready for this.  
 

  


He doesn’t care that it’s been ten years and that he’s not the same person. He doesn’t care that he could be considered successful, respectful even. He doesn’t care that the people in there could be considered friends.  
 

  


He just wants to rip off the stupid sticker that says Hey! Remember me? I’m Jason and leave and hope nobody’s seen him.  
But someone’s seen him and she’s running across the lobby, her sandals slapping on the stone – marble, maybe? He’s not too sure – floor. “Jason!”  
 

  


He sees what she’s about to do and steels himself. But still, it’s only years of practice, the fact he can’t break his exercise addiction and the grace of god that he doesn’t go keeling over. He’s used to Martha jumping him, she’s been doing it over and over for years, but being pregnant does not freaking help.  
 

  


But she’s smiling at him with her wide, unabashed smile and she looks gorgeous with that pregnancy glow everyone talks about but he’s only seeing now that she is pregnant and he can’t be anything but happy when he sees her. “Martha. Look at you.”  
 

  


She laughs, pulling away and, with a little help, hopping onto the ground. “I know. I look like a beached whale. God, just the thought of trying to wear anything that isn’t a bathrobe makes me want to barf.”  
 

  


“You don’t look like a beached whale.” Jason shifts to look at her husband. “David, tell her.”

David rolls his eyes. “Since when has she ever listened to me?”  
 

  


David is a good man. Jason knows because he’d been Zeke’s roommate before the chef had introduced him to Martha. It’d been history from there.  
 

  


They hadn’t seen much of the old crowd at Martha’s wedding, three years back. It wasn’t surprising; most of them had drifted apart after graduation. He’d been close with the gang at the end of high school, but not as close as he’d been with Zeke – and, by extension, Sharpay – and Martha. He’d seen Kelsi at the wedding (hard not to; she’d been Martha’s maid of honor), and Martha had mentioned Gabriella and  Taylor dropping by with their respective partners but he hadn’t seen them. 

  


 

  


Of course, most of time, he’d been with Zeke, tying embarrassing shit to the car for when David and Martha came out.  
 

  


So, yeah, he hadn’t seen most of the crowd (and he hadn’t really talked to Kelsi at the wedding, beyond ‘hi’ so it hadn’t really counted either) for ten years and to say he was nervous was like saying Martha was a little pregnant.  
 

  


And then Zeke and Sharpay (who would have believed they’d last this long?) appear, arm in arm, and they’re both color coordinated (pink of course, because some things never change) and everything’s a little chaotic while everyone’s saying hello and how do you do and oh my god, you’re pregnant already? and next thing Jason knows, they’re in the damn ballroom and he can see Chad waving them over and there’s no way to run.  
 

  


Damn. It.  
 

  


So they head on over and Taylor’s already there with Chad, and so’s Gabriella and Troy. Gabriella and Troy, they soon learn, have broken up (this is punctuated with Zeke grabbing Sharpay’s hand and Chad muttering to Jason that it’s only a temporary thing and they’re just taking a break while the sound of Martha squealing over Taylor’s truly enormous engagement ring covers up his words) but are still amiable.  Gabriella is working with NASA and isn’t allowed to say anything about her work (which is way scary and cool at the same time). Troy is on Broadway and he teaches basketball to underprivileged kids in his spare time. Taylor and Chad are planning a fall wedding, before Taylor runs for Governor. Chad is coaching the old high school basketball team. Zeke and Sharpay (read; Sharpay) are not planning to get married any time soon. Zeke has his own (very successful) bakery in New York. Sharpay now directs shows, instead of starring in them. This baby is Martha’s first and they just learnt last week that it’s going to be a boy.

  


 

  


Before they can get to Jason, the rest of the gang arrives. Together. Hand in hand.  
 

  


It shocks Jason that just the sight is still enough to send his heart reeling back before claiming surrender and hitting the ground.

  


 

  


She’s still Kelsi. Still all smiles and silky, smooth honey brown hair. Still pale skin and petite and the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.  
Ryan looks the same, which reminds Jason that for all his exercise, he’s still put on a little weight and his hair – which he’d kept long in high school – was cut short and not really stylishly and well. In the end, he and Ryan are still completely opposites, aren’t they?  
 

  


They’re both breathless, both laughing and both full of apologies. Rain, they explain, and late rehearsal and things that Jason doesn’t hear because he’s too busy focusing on how that siren red dress hugs Kelsi’s curves.  
 

  


Then he tunes back in time to find out they’re collaborating on a small, off-Broadway show. Kelsi’s composer and Ryan’s choreographer and Sharpay is directing (but she left rehearsals early to get ready because she’s still a diva, even though she directs the stars of the shows now).  
 

  


Kelsi writes show music and some of her tunes have made it to Broadway. Ryan owns and operates a pretty successful dance studio and school. He also choreographs for some of the hippest artists now.  
 

  


They’re talking and laughing and reminiscing and Jason’s talking with Sharpay on how to get Zeke to make his killer chocolate truffle cake when suddenly Gabriella says they don’t know what Jason’s been up to.  
 

  


And suddenly he’s the centre of attention, something he’s not used to (side character, side story –that he’s used to) and everyone’s looking at him and the words are sticking in his throat.  
 

  


But he clears it and speaks; “I’m a professor at NYU.”  
 

  


Kelsi, Ryan, Troy, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor; they all freeze and stare at him like he’s suddenly got three eyes. The rest – who already know anyway – don’t say anything. He can see them, he knows they’re trying not to laugh and hates them for it.

“NYU?” Gabriella finally says and, to her credit, she doesn’t sound as stunned as she looks. “Er, teaching what?”  
 

  


“Advanced Math Theory. And some physics but that’s not really my field.”  
 

  


He’d graduated from UCLA with full honors and, while creating algorithms for a technology company, had completed his masters and doctorate in Harvard. He is now ‘Dr. Cross’ but he thinks it makes him sound stuffy (and always angry) and he never uses it (but his dad  does and it drives him mad).

  


 

  


“Seriously?” Chad says finally. “Cause, man, that sounds like the biggest joke.”  
 

  


That, of course, earns him a glare from Taylor and head shakes from the rest of them.  
 

  


Gabriella smiles at him. “Congratulations Jason,” she says as people start calling for the class valedictorian (which is Troy but he’s trying to hide behind Chad and Taylor, who’re having none of that and they’re pushing him off his chair and he lands with an undignified thump on the floor, to everyone’s amusement).  
 

  


They turn their attention to Troy as he talks, obviously making everything up as he goes along, hands going everywhere as he tries to sound as smooth as he did in high school and Jason can’t stop the laughs, he just can’t. But it’s okay, ‘cause everyone else is laughing as well (except Gabriella; she’s watching Troy with quiet sadness which makes Jason think that maybe Chad hadn’t been spouting his usual bullshit).  
 

  


After Troy finishes bumbling his way through his speech, they announce the buffet’s open and everyone gets up to get food. Martha, surprisingly, doesn’t get up and Jason doesn’t understand until he sees David balancing two plates. So Jason, being a good friend, decides to help him, except somehow, they end up bringing four plates to the table and Martha’s laughing at them and Zeke is commenting on the deserts and how they didn’t need to get that much ‘cause he’d made and bought some for everybody.  
 

  


Jason just decides to ignore the chaos and focus on the food. It’s good and so’s the company as everyone tries to catch up with everyone else at the same time. Sharpay is trading fashion tips with Taylor, of all people, while Zeke is discussing some of his latest recipes with David. Kelsi and Martha are giggling over something, Chad is attempting to make some sort of bridge between the slight awkwardness that is Troy and Gabriella and suddenly Jason realizes that leaves him alone to talk with Ryan and how the hell had that happened?  
 

  


He glances at the man sitting across from him and makes a comment on the show, asks how it’s going and settles down to listen to a long description of everything he’s not interested in. Except, Ryan isn’t Sharpay – even though they’re twins – and he just says it’s going well, describes a couple general problems and asks Jason how his life’s going.  
 

  


Which leads Jason to talking about the trouble of trying to teach both geniuses who thought they knew the material better than him – and sometimes they did but he wouldn’t admit it in front of them, it’d only swell their heads further – and teaching students who’re interested but not enough to pay attention and not fall asleep in class. Ryan laughs and says something about how if his students fell asleep in class, it didn’t matter ‘cause they’d just be woken up when they hit the ground.  
 

  


And then, somehow, they’re talking about teaching in general and the differences and similarities between what they do – because teaching is teaching, even if advanced mathematics and dancing are worlds away – when someone announces that the dance floor is now open.  
It’s no surprise that Sharpay is first on the dance floor, dragging Zeke along with her. Still the drama queen, still loving the centre spotlight, even if she doesn’t mind not being the centre of attention all the time. Slowly couples drift onto the dance floor; Chad and Taylor, then Martha and David. Troy offers Gabriella his hand and she – after a hesitation that goes on long enough for Troy’s smile to falter and his hand to dip – accepts and they’re on the dance floor.  
 

  


Which leaves Jason the third wheel at the table. He clears his throat and tells them they should just hit the dance floor but when Ryan declines, Jason concludes they think it’ll be rude to leave him alone at the too large table.  
 

  


Jason’s not sure how to tell them he’d prefer to be by himself than alone with both of them.  
 

  


So he gets up, informs them he’s going to the toilet and leaves the ballroom, walking straight through the lobby to the hotel’s formal gardens, breathing in the crisp air. He needs it, needs to clear his mind, to remind himself that he’s not seventeen or eighteen, that he has no reason to be jealous of Kelsi and Ryan, that he hasn’t even been a part of her life – not really – for ten years.  
 

  


It doesn’t work but he keeps telling himself that as he looks up at the sky. He’s unconsciously trying to find and label the constellations when he hears light footsteps. He doesn’t turn around, thinking it’s Sharpay and therefore jumps when Kelsi says; “it’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”  
 

  


He turned and finds her smiling softly at him and she looks to beautiful that his heart jumps into his throat and decides to take up residence there. So instead of even attempting to speak, he simply nods and looks at the sky again.  
 

  


“So,” she says after a while and he looks at her but she’s not looking at him, she’s looking at the sky, her hair tumbling over her shoulders and making him want to run his fingers through it, except he doesn’t have the right. Not anymore and not for a long time. “NYU, huh? That’s pretty cool.”  
 

  


“Yeah. I guess?” He says, attempting not to sound as lame as he feels but he can tell he’s failing, it’s so obvious from the near squeak of his voice and he has to distantly wonder where all the cool he had back in high school has gone.  
 

  


“It is cool,” she says, finally turning to look at him, and the expression on her face makes his heart fall back into place only so it can trip and shudder. He remembers that expression, it’s the one she used to make when he did something stupid or funny and she was calling him silly even as she bit back her laugher.  
 

  


He knows the expression; it’s affection and exasperation and love, as they knew it at seventeen and eighteen, and it’s so heart wrenchingly familiar that he has to look away, stare at the sky as he attempts to get his feelings under control.  
 

  


“Um – thanks?” He manages to say. He wants to say, don’t look at me like that, but he knows it’ll hurt her and he’d rather cut himself before hurting her, again, so he doesn’t say it. He just stares at the sky and reminds himself of who he is.  
 

  


Dr Jason Cross, Professor of Mathematics at NYU. His friends are professors and other like-minded academics, who spend much of their time discussing formulas, algorithms and theories. He spends his weekends grading papers and playing the occasional round of one on one basketball with Zeke.

He’s not the boy she knew in high school. He doesn’t sing or dance anymore. He can’t remember the last time he even thought about doing either.  
 

  


He barely remembers who he used to be.  
 

  


“Is that such a bad thing?”  
 

  


He looks at her, startled, before he realizes he’s said his last thought aloud. “Ah – maybe? I don’t know,” he says in a rush when she parts her lips to speak. “It’s just…” he slides his hands in his pockets because he doesn’t know what to do with them and looks at the sky because it’s easier to talk to it than her. “Sometimes, I miss him, you know? That guy. He didn’t worry about the future, about getting tenure, about grading papers, paying taxes on time, stuff like that. All he really cared about was hanging out with his friends and playing basketball.” A small smile quirks his lips and he doesn’t bother repressing it. “And sometimes, singing and dancing.”  
 

  


“I liked that guy,” Kelsi admits and it’s enough to make him look at her. Her smile is soft, again, and somewhat sad. “He was cute and funny and he could make me laugh, no matter what.”  
 

  


“So what happened with him? If he was so cute and funny, why didn’t it work out?” Jason can’t believe he’s just said those words. But he has and now they float between him and Kelsi, words he should have asked a long time ago but didn’t have the courage to.  
 

  


Kelsi shrugs and looks beyond him, but he’s not offended; it seems she’s looking into the past, seeing the events in her memory. “He changed,” she said slowly, then shook her head. “No, that’s wrong. We both changed. We had different priorities, different goals pulling us in different directions. And I guess…we were both young and too immature, too proud, to make the compromises that would have kept the relationship going. And, by the time we could see the mistakes we’d both made, it was too late and we’d missed our chance.”  
 

  


She looks at him, properly looks at him, watching carefully as he absorbs her words. They heal him, he discovers, repairs a rift in his heart he hadn’t even noticed was there, one, he thought, that had probably appeared around the time they’d broken up and had stayed because he’s always been confused, always been unclear on why exactly they’d broken up.  
 

  


But now, it’s there, in the open, and he can see it wasn’t her fault (like he’d been secretly thinking, though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, not even to himself, consciously) and it wasn’t his fault, it was both their faults, and, yeah, she’s right, they were too young, too proud, too immature to fully understand or appreciate what they’d had going. Maybe, if they had, things would be different now, but it isn’t and that ship has sailed. It’s with just a little regret that he waves good bye to it.  
 

  


He can look at her now, smile as he rocks back on his heels. “Yeah, I guess we did,” he said and if some of that regret spills over into his voice, it’s okay, because he can see it in her eyes. They’ll probably carry it around for the rest of their lives, occasionally wondering ‘what if?’, but it won’t consume them. “So, your play. Um, it’s coming along, right?”  
 

  


He has no idea what it’s about, has zoned out every time Sharpay started talking about it, so it’s probably not a good conversation starter, but it’s the best he can think of. The look in her eyes and the smile curving her lips tell him she’s onto him but she doesn’t call him out, only says, “it is, yes.” Then she pauses and adds, almost casually, “you should be getting the invitation soon.”  
 

  


He blinks, because he’s pretty sure you don’t get invites to plays and if she’s sending one out to this one, how fancy is it? His expression must have been pretty clear, because she giggled and said, “no, not for the play. For, um, for my wedding.” She says the last words in a rush, a bright red tingeing her cheeks.  
 

  


He feels his eyebrows climbing into his hairline and does nothing to stop them. This is – well, to say a shock is an understatement. A ‘what if?’ moment comes and he lets it go, though if they hadn’t just had their previous conversation, he probably wouldn’t have been able to.  
Then a thought comes into his mind; what if she’d come here, sought him out, just to butter him up so she could whammy him with this. But he quashes and kicks that thought off before it full forms because, one; it’s so out of character with the Kelsi he knows, it’s not even funny, and yes, he’s aware people can change – God knows he has – but not that much, and two; he’s the one who brought up the subject in the first place so, yeah, not her fault.  
 

  


So he finally finds his tongue, and says “congratulations” which, when he thinks about it, is kind of lame and cliché. “Sharpay must be thrilled.” And, seriously, sometimes even he wonders what goes on in his head.  
 

  


Kelsi just stares at him, obviously wondering the same thing.  
 

  


“Ah, because now she gets to plan a wedding and she’ll say she has the right ‘cause she’s the groom’s sister but you shouldn’t let her stream roll over you or you’ll end up with a musical extravaganza that’s got lots of pink glitter in it.” Jason winced even as he said the words, as much from the image he was creating as from the fact he was, pretty much, spouting verbal diarrhea.  
 

  


The confusion on Kelsi’s face clears and she almost but not quite laughs at him. “Oh! No, no. I’m not marrying Ryan.”  
 

  


That stops Jason in his tracks and he stares at her for a good, long moment before figuring out how to work his mouth again and the best he can come up with is “you’re not?”  
 

  


She shakes her head, a smile still playing around her lips. “No. His name’s Danny. We met on Broadway.”  
 

  


“He’s an actor?” Like Ryan, he can’t help but think and that is so not the direction his thoughts should be going in.  
 

  


Kelsi shakes her head, a fond smile lifting the corner of her lips and a faraway look in her eyes, as if she’s lost in her memories. “No. He’s an engineer; he came to help out with the effects and we kind of hit it off.”  
 

  


She sounds happy, content in a way that reminds him of Martha and David. It’s a quiet love, one that’s built on friendship and mutual understanding. It’s not as dramatic, not as (from the outside) passionate as what’s between Zeke and Sharpay, but it’s just as steady and will last just as long.  
 

  


He smiles, suddenly happy for her, just like he’s happy for Martha, happy for Zeke. “Where is he? Why didn’t you bring him?”  
 

  


“He’s in Florida, visiting family. His sister just had her second child. I’m heading there tomorrow.”  
 

  


“Oh. I didn’t know you were engaged.”  
 

  


“I know,” she said simply. “I’m sorry.”

Jason isn’t quite sure what she’s apologizing for. Not telling him? Drifting apart? The misunderstanding that caused a slight rift they hadn’t been able to bridge until tonight? None of those things are her fault – okay, the first one was, but he understands where’s she was coming from so he doesn’t blame her.  
 

  


“So am I,” he says, and he’s not sure what he’s apologizing for either, but she seems to understand because she tells him it’s okay as well.  
 

  


“Let’s go in,” she says, turning back to the doors. “I want to dance with you.” She smiles at him over her shoulder, before stepping back into  the hotel. “For old time’s sakes.”

  


 

  


He watches her go in, watches her until she’s hidden by the pillars that support the hotel’s high ceiling. He can hear the music, the laughter. He hears Gabriella’s distinctive voice rise in song, and then Troy’s voice joins her and he remembers the parties back in high school, after what he likes to call the social hierarchy revolution – or when-Gabriella-and-Troy-helped-turn-school-on-its-head – when they sang and danced until they were too tired to sing and dance anymore.  
 

  


He takes one last breath of the crisp air – so different from New York air – and goes back in. Martha is sitting at the table, with her feet on a chair, her heels on the floor beside her. Zeke is pushing dessert and dessert towards her and she’s happily eating them as they discuss…something that is completely foreign to Jason once he’s near enough to hear. Give him an equation, an algorithm, hell, even a seemingly far-fetched theory on worm holes and he could talk for hours on end. Anything to do with cooking and he’s lost within the first sentence.  
 

  


“Jason!” It’s Kelsi calling him, and she’s at the edge of the dance floor, with Ryan, and holding her hand out to him. “Come on.”  
 

  


He glances at Zeke and Martha, but they wave him on, so he goes to her, and Ryan gives her up to dance with his sister. Kelsi smiles prettily up at him and slides her hands into his and he pulls her into him and they fit together, like they always have. And Jason feels a sudden love for her, the same love, he realizes, he feels for Martha. It makes him want to protect her, to see her happy.  
 

  


It’s strange, and slightly unbalancing, to figure out the torch he’s been carrying for the past ten years has been easily put out and replaced with a different sort of flame. But, at the same time, it settles him. It was tiring, carrying a torch. It feels good to finally let it go.  
 

  


The song ends, Gabriella and Troy leaving the stage. He notes that they don’t dance but instead sit down at the table with Zeke and Martha. He settles one hand on Kelsi’s waist, keeping her hand in the other, and they move across the dance floor, swaying to the slow beat.  
 

  


When this song finishes, they have ended up at the edge of the dance floor, bodies near flush against each other, their foreheads pressed together.  
 

  


They smile at each other, and, without regret, Jason releases her and steps back. Their friends at the table again, Jason sees, all of them, and it’s obvious they’re reminiscing, from the flush on Troy’s face and the way Chad is waving his arms.  
 

  


Kelsi looks at them, then at him, and smiles. “Shall we go join them?”  
 

  


Jason looks at them and feels a familiar rush of love. It’s the same as what he had in high school but it’s different too. It’s had time to mature and age. They might drift apart again, might never see each other after this night. But, for now, they’re friends, they’re family and that’s enough.  
 

  


“Yeah,” he says and starts walking forward. “Let’s.”  
 

  


 

**Author's Note:**

> First fic on this site and in this fandom. Probably my only fic in this fandom, actually, but, yeah. Thanks for reading!
> 
> _ _ _ _ _ _ 
> 
> I do not give permission for this work to be re-posted to any other site, such as Goodreads or ebook-tree.


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